SA firm wins third place in global innovation competition
South Africa-based start-up mobile applications company Afroes was named one of the world’s top innovative and entrepreneurial companies in a global innovation competition this week.
The start-up took third place – out of 50 companies worldwide – in a Dragon’s Den Pitching competition during the three-day fifth Global Forum on Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship, held in East London.
The Anne Shongwe-founded Afroes, which was hosted by mLab at the Innovation Hub, in Pretoria, developed “uniquely African” education- and branded messages-focused mobile applications and tools for social development agencies and corporate enterprises.
The technology provided the organisations the opportunity to continually deliver branded and education messages directly to the potential social development agencies and corporate enterprise customers.
mLab Southern Africa CEO Derrick Kotze said he believed the award would allow Afroes to “expand its market and partnerships on an international level”.
“African innovators like Afroes are increasingly receiving global recognition in important technology areas. Such success stories clearly illustrate the impact innovation can have,” Science and Technology Minister Derek Hanekom said in a statement.
He pointed to South African companies Kuza Mobile, Khaya Power and Mobiflock securing places within the top 20 during the competition.
A panel comprising so-called angel investors, top policy makers and international donors judged the competition – organised by the World Bank’s infoDev, the Department of Science and Technology and the Eastern Cape province – using the criteria of commercial potential, long-term success and impact on society.
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